Steven Bradley Estes helped to save Dewell W. Brown from burning, Somerville, Alabama, October 4, 2009. Brown, 44, was in bed in his bedroom, which was at one end of his mobile home, after fire broke out at night in the kitchen, at the other end. Estes, 40, manufacturing supervisor, was working a shift as a volunteer reserve police officer and was in the vicinity with another officer when they discovered the fire. After Estes opened the structure’s unlocked front door, both men stepped into the living room, which was adjacent to the burning kitchen. Despite dense smoke filling that room, Estes crossed it, tracing Brown’s voice to his bedroom. There, Estes went to the floor to avoid inhaling smoke. He then stood, got a hold of Brown, and lifted him from his bed. He carried Brown into the living room and toward the front door but before reaching it collapsed to the floor, taking Brown with him. The other officer dragged Brown outside to safety, Estes following, crawling. The structure was destroyed in the fire. Brown sustained minor injury, from which he recovered. Estes and the other officer were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, and they too recovered.
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